Application assembly for tread building apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for applying tread rubber to bases of circular cross section, which comprises a central shaft, means for mounting a plurality of bases on the central shaft, means for rotating said shaft to advance the bases through a succession of stations, means mounted adjacent one of said stations for applying rubber to a base advanced to said stations, means mounted adjacent another of said stations for applying rubber to the base having the rubber thereon applied thereto at said one of said stations, the rubber applied at the two stations taken together forming the tread and sidewall rubber portions of a tire, and means mounted on said central shaft for stitching the rubber applied to the base at said one of said stations firmly to the base. Further means for applying extruded rubber to the base by advance of a roller, individually braked for severing the rubber, and means responsive to the movement of the roller to the base for actuating base rotation and extruder feed.

United States Patent 1 Rattray et a1.

[54] APPLICATION ASSEMBLY FOR TREAD BUILDING APPARATUS [75] lnventors:William L. Rattray, Garden Grove;

Bruce G. Brown, Corona, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: AMF Incorporated [221 Filed: March 1, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 122,580

[52] 11.8. CI. ..l56/l30, 156/111, 156/396, 156/397, 156/405, 156/410,156/413 [51] Int. Cl B2911 17/02, B29h 17/20 [58] Field of Search..l56/394, 111, 130, 396, 397, 156/405, 406, 410, 411, 413

[451 Feb. 20, 1973 Primary Examiner-Robert F. Burnett AssistantExaminer-C. B. Cosby Attorney-George W. Price and Barry l-l. Fishkin[57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for applying tread rubber to bases of circularcross section, which comprises a central shaft, means for mounting aplurality of bases on the central shaft, means for rotating said shaftto advance the bases through a succession of stations, means mountedadjacent one of said stations for applying rubber to a base advanced tosaid stations, means mounted adjacent another of said stations forapplying rubber to the base having the rubber thereon applied thereto atsaid one of said stations, the rubber applied at the two stations takentogether forming the tread and sidewall rubber portions of a tire, andmeans mounted on said central shaft for stitching the rubber applied tothe base at said one of said stations firmly to the base. Further meansfor applying extruded rubber to the base by advance of a roller,individually braked for severing the rubber, and means responsive to themovement of the roller to the base for actuating base rotation andextruder feed.

8 Claims, 7 DrawingFigures PATENTED FEB 2 01975 SHEET 10F 6 PATENTFEBIZO ms SHEET 2 BF 6 INVENTORS WILLIAM L. RATTRAY y BRUCE (5. BROWNATTORNEY PATENTED F5520 1975 3.717. 529

5 INVENTORS WILLIAM L. RATTRAY BY BRUCE 6. BROWN ATTORNEY PATENTEU Z WSHEET 5 [IF 6 w QI um n WT A ER L M m L l W BRUCE G. BROWN PATENTEDFEB20ms SHEEI 6 BF 6 N QE APPLICATION ASSEMBLY FOR TREAD BUILDING APPARATUSBACKGROUND This invention relates to apparatus for applying rubber to abase and more particularly to an automatic apparatus for applying astrip of rubber in a predetermined pattern to a succession of tirecarcasses mounted on building drums.

The art of tire making has attained a certain maturity in that large andhigh volume apparatus have been developed and perfected. However, thisapparatus generally suffers from severe problems in the materialhandling aspects of the machines, that is the storage and utilization ofrubber prior to and in the tire building process, and still involves agreat deal of hand labor.

More specifically, the present day operation involves shaping andjoining the thread and sidewall at a location other than that where thetire is completed. There is usually one large extruder complex whichmakes all of the tread and sidewall stock for the entire plant. Thetreads and sidewalls are extruded to shape, joined and then cut tospecified lengths for the particular tires which they will go on. Theseslabs of rubber are then inventoried in a special book-shelf" type orportable rack which keeps each piece of rubber separate from the rest.

The slab of rubber is cut to a length equal to one circumference of thetire so that the final, tire building, operation involves wrapping theslab around a tire carcass one time to make a butt joint. The crucialfactor in this operation is in the butt joint operation. Since the slabsof rubber, although cut to a precise length at the extruder line, willvary some due to rubber variations, the intelligence and judgment of amanual laborer is required to compensate for these length variationswhen the slab is applied to the tire carcass.

The instant apparatus solves the above problem by utilizing rubber instrip form, which can be supplied by a smaller extruder, and applyingthe strip in a series of turns to a circular base to form the rubbercovering of a tire or similar article. The width and depth of the rubbercovering is easily adjustable by controlling the number of and spacingbetween successive strips applied to the base.

However, previous strip winding apparatus have also involved someproblems that inhibited its application to new tire manufacture. One ofthese problems has been air bubbles caught between adjacent strips ofrubber, and in the fact that the strip winding process still requiredmanual labor to start and stop the process that is, the strip had tofirst be applied to the carcass by hand and at the end of the operation,the end of the strip had to be hand severed from the supply.

In addition, it was difficult to fabricate articles such as tires whichrequired the application of two types of rubber to a base by the stripwinding process, since existing processes necessitated that the tires bemade on two machines, or in shifts on the same machine.

SUMMARY It is therefore an object of this invention to provide animproved tire building method and apparatus utilizing strip rubber.

It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus wherein twotypes of rubber may be rapidly and readily applied in strip form to acircular base in adesired pattern.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide tire buildingapparatus with an improved stitching assembly for better adherence ofthe rubber to a tire carcass.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide in a tire buildingapparatus an improved rubber application assembly adapted to initiateand terminate the rubber building process without manual assistance.

In accordance with these and other objects a preferred embodiment of theinvention may comprise apparatus for applying rubber to circular bases,which comprises a circular base mounted for movement to a plurality ofstations, means mounted adjacent at least one of said stations forapplying rubber to a circular base at said station and means forstitching the rubber applied thereto, said stitching means being mountedfor movement along the casing independently of the rubber applicationmeans.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of the mainportion of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a rubber application head assemblythat forms part of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an application roller, taken along line5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a power stitching assembly that formspart of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the assembly shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For purposes of simplicity apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein asapplying rubber directly to circular tire carcasses. However, it shouldbe clear to those skilled in the art that the apparatus and method setforth hereinbelow are also applicable to the application of rubber toother circular bases.

With reference to the drawings, apparatus according to the invention maycomprise a frame 10 having opposed mounting brackets 12 adapted torotatably support a shaft 14 therebetween. A rectangular mounting plate16 is mounted at one end of shaft 14 and is rotatable therewith.

A mounting assembly 18 including a drum 19 is mounted at each of thefour corners of the rectangular plate 16. The drums 19 are collapsibleby the mounting assemblies 18 for receiving tire carcasses andexpandible to securely mount the carcasses thereon.

Each of the drums 19 is rotatable by a shaft 20 connected to a motor 22by a suitable gear reduction assembly 24.

The motors 22 are operable to drive each shaft 20 at a plurality ofspeeds. A hydraulic motor 25 is provided for indexing the shaft 14through a 360 cycle in increments, each drum 19 thus being moved forfour stations, designated 26, 28, 30 and 32 respectively. A Fergusondrive system 33 is provided between motor 25 and the shaft 14 so thatprecise 90 increments of rotation can be made.

At the first station, 26, tire carcasses are manually placed on andremoved from the apparatus in conjunction with actuation of the mountingassembly 18. The second station, 28, is a rubber building stationwhereat a rubber application assembly 34 applies strip rubber suppliedfrom an extruder (not shown) to the tire carcass which has been advancedthereto and is being rotated by the respective motor 22. The thirdstation, 30, is a dwell station whereat the rubber applied at station 28is allowed to cool and at the fourth station, 32, a second rubberapplication assembly 36 applies strip rubber of a different type,supplied from a second extruder (not shown), to the tire carcass whichhas been advanced thereto and is being rotated by the respective motor22.

A power stitching assembly 38 is mounted on hub 14 for movement intoengagement with the drums at the second and fourth station for firmlystitching the rubber strips applied thereto together and to the carcass.

The rubber strips applied to the rotating carcasses by the applicationassemblies 34 and 36 are supplied from two conventional strip rubberextruders, each providing a strip substantially of constant crosssection at a substantially constant rate. The rate of feed of theextruder is approximately equal to the angular velocity of the rotatingdrum. Each strip is guided to its respective application assembly by aplurality of idler rollers 39 and a roller 40 mounted on a dancer arm41.

The dancer arm 41 is connected to a rotary potentiometer (not shown)coupled to the control circuit for each of the motors 22. Thus theangular velocity of the spinning drum is variable in response toextruder output variation to avoid rubber strip starvation or glut.

Each of the rubber application assemblies 34 and 36 (FIGS. 3 and 4) aremounted on a carriage 42 for movement along a frame 44 positioned alongthe axis of the respective drums at the second and fourth stations.Since the rubber application assemblies, carriages and frames for thesecond and fourth stations are identical, only those for the fourthstation will be set forth in detail hereinbelow, it being understoodthat the rubber application assembly, carriage and frame for the secondstation will be identical and facing in the opposite direction.

With reference to FIG. 1, the frame 44 includes a pair of verticallyspaced shafts, 46 and 48 and a threaded rod 50 mounted in parallelspaced relationship thereto and positioned therebetween. The frame 44 isconnected to frame by a bracket 51.

The carriage 42 is mounted on the shafts 46 and 48 and rod 50. Thecarriage (FIG. 3) comprises a horizontal base 54 with a bracket 56depending therefrom, a pair of spaced vertically extending members 58mounted thereon and a vertically extending cross member 59 connectedbetween the back of members 58.

A pair of recesses, 60 and 62, are provided in bracket 54 for receivingthe rods 46 and 48 respectively and an internally threaded boss 64 isprovided for accepting the threaded rod 50. The carriage is driven alongthe shafts 46 and 48 and rod 50 by the rotation of the threaded rod byan electric motor 66, which is mounted at one end of the rod and inaxial alignment therewith.

The rubber application assembly 34 comprises an application roller 68mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the tire carcass on apivoting assembly 70 and a plurality of stitching rollers 72 mounted forpivotal movement toward and away from the drum of a pivoting assembly74. A transposition roller 76 and a directing roller 78 are included inthe assembly 34 for guiding strip rubber from the idler rollers 39 tothe application roller 68.

More specifically, the application roller pivoting assembly 70 includesa pair of spaced vertically extending members, 80 and 82, and verticaland horizontal cross plates 84 and 86 respectively, which join thevertical members 80 and 82 adjacent the tops thereof.

The assembly 70 is mounted for its pivotal movement on a shaft 92 thatis mounted between the vertically extending carriage members and ispivoted on shaft 92 by an air cylinder 94, which includes a piston rod96 extending therefrom. The piston rod includes a forked end member 98which is connected to a lug 100 off vertical plate 84. The other end ofair cylinder 94 is connected to the cross member 59 by a resilientconnection 102.

The resilient connection 102 includes a lug 104 extending from the aircylinder and a double bracket 106 pivotally connected to the member 59at 108 and extending upwardly therefrom to a position whereat its twomembers are positioned on either side of the lug 104, whereat a bolt 110connects the lug and the double bracket 106. A pin 112 is mounted acrossthe double bracket 106 and a rod 114 is mounted in cross member 59 inposition to engage the pin 112. A spring 1 l6 biases pin 112 and thusbracket 106 away from the cross member 59.

A sequence switch having an actuator button 121 is mounted to an uprightmember 58. An actuator member 122 is mounted on air cylinder 94 inspaced relationship with the button 121.

In operation, upon actuation of the air cylinder 94, the piston rod 96is extended and the pivoting assembly 70 and thus application roller 68is advanced from the retracted position to the position shown in FIGS. 1and 3, whereat the application roller is adjacent the tire carcass. Inthe latter position, rubber strip on the application roller will betransferred to the drum upon the rotation of the latter.

Actuation of the air cylinder, in addition to driving the applicationroller 68 to the drum, will cause the cylinder body to pivot bracket 110in a clockwise direction, causing the actuator 122 to engage button 121of the sequence switch 120.

The sequence switch is connected to the control circuits for theextruder and the motor 22. With the actuation of the sequence switch theextruder will start and the motor 22 will start, spinning the drum.After an interval predetermined by the time required to allow the drumto reach a predetermined angular velocity, the air cylinder 94 isdeactivated and the application roller 68 is retracted, serving to guidethe strip to the spinning carcass.

With reference to FIG. 5, the application roller 68 is provided with arecess 123 therein. The roller is mounted for free rotation on a shaft124 that is supported by a bracket 125 mounted on the vertical crossplate 84 of the pivoting assembly 70. A magnetic brake 126 is mounted toa bracket 128 that is mounted to the cross plate 84 in spacedrelationship with bracket 125. The brake 126 extends from bracket 128into the recess 123 in the application roller 68 and is operable to stopthe rotation of the roller upon the actuation thereof.

The stitching rollers pivoting assembly 74 includes a shaped verticallyextending member 130 mounted on a shaft 132 that is pivotally mountedbetween a pair of brackets 134 positioned on horizontal base 54. Astitcher support housing 136 is mounted for free pivotal movement abouta rod 138 mounted to the support member 130 by a cantilevered horizontalbar 140. Each stitching roller 72 is mounted for free rotation on ashaft 142 supported on a horizontally extending arm 144. The arms 144are mounted in the support 136 and are biased outwardly toward the drumby springs 146. The independent mounting of the stitching rollers 72 andthe pivotable mounting of the support housing 136 provide capability forthe stitching rollers to conform to and remain in pressing contact withthe rubber on the tire carcass as the assemblies 34 and 36 are indexedalong the axis of the drum.

The stitching roller pivoting assembly is pivoted by an air cylinder 150that is pivotally connected to one end thereof to a bracket 152 by apivotal connection 154 located on the lower portion of cross member 59.The pivotal connection 154 includes a forked shaped lug 156 mounted onthe air cylinder, a bracket 158 mounted on the cross member andextending between the tines of the fork shaped lug and a pin 160 passingthrough the bracket and the lug. A piston rod 162 extends from the otherend of air cylinder 150 and is pivotally connected to the support 140 at164. In operation, upon actuation of the air cylinder 150, which isactuated simultaneously with air cylinder 94, the stitching rollers willbe advanced from a retracted position to the extended position adjacentthe drum shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The stitcher rollers remain in contactwith the rubber on the drum after the applicator roller is retracted.

The directing roller 78 is mounted for free rotation on a shaft 170 thatis cantilevered from a bracket 172. The bracket 172 is welded to ashaped bracket 174 that is mounted to one of the vertically extendingmembers 58 by screws 176. The transposition roller 76 is mounted forfree rotation on a shaft 178 that is cantilevered from an arm 180 thatis pivotally mounted to shaped bracket 174 at 182.

The transposition roller 76 is mounted for movement along with theapplication roller 68 by a linkage 184 connecting arm 180 and verticallyextending support 82. The linkage 184 includes a lug 186 mounted on arm180, a link 188 having fork shaped members 190 and 192 on either endthereof, a pin 194 connecting the fork shaped member 190 to the insidewall of vertical member 82 and a pin 196 connecting fork shaped member192 to lug 186. Thus, upon actuation of air cylinder 150 both theapplication roller 68 and the transposition roller 76 will be withdrawnwith respect to the drum.

A guide member 200 is mounted to horizontal plate 84 to guide the stripof rubber from the transposition roller 76 to the application roller 68.The guide member is connected to the plate by a pair of screws 202 thatpass through slots 204 in a flange of the guide member such that theposition of the guide may be positioned for varying rubber strip widths.

A sensing roller 206 is mounted just above the application roller 68 bya rod 208 cantilevered from an arm 210 that is pivotally connected tothe inside wall of vertical support 82 at 212. A linear voltagedifferential transducer 214 is mounted inside the vertical support 82,and coupled to arm 210. The sensing roller 206 rides on the rubber strippassing over the application roller 68 and the thickness of the strippassing thereunder is determined by the transducer in accordance withthe angular position of the arm 210. The signal from the transducer isutilized to monitor the thickness of the rubber strip and display theribbon thickness on a gauge (not shown) displayed on the extrudercontrol.

A photocell 218 is mounted in the vertical support 80 and acorresponding member 220 is mounted in vertical support 82 to receivethe beam. The beam will make when the pivoting assemblies and 74 haveretracted both the application roller 68 and the stitching rollers 72.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the power stitching assembly 38includes a sleeve 225 mounted for slidable movement on shaft 14 and apair of stitching heads 228 and 230 mounted on sleeve 225 and extendingtoward a respective one of the second station 28 and fourth station 32.

Each of the stitching heads 228 and 230 comprises a pair of horizontalbeams 232 and 234 extending from the sleeve 225 adjacent the endsthereof. A mounting bracket 236 is affixed to the end of each of thebeams 232 and 234 and a rod 240 is mounted between the brackets 236. Aplurality of arms 242 are pivotally mounted to the rods 240 and astitching roller 244 is mounted for free rotation on the end of each ofthe arms 242.

Each of the arms 242 is pivoted by an air cylinder 246 mounted betweenthe sleeve 225 and the arm. Each cylinder is pivotally connected to abracket 248 bolted to the sleeve, as at 250. A piston rod 252 extendsfrom the other end of each of the air cylinders and is pivotallyconnected to the respective stitching roller arms at 254. A pair of airhoses 256 and 258 are connected to the respective ends of each of theair cylinders and actuate the piston rod outward and inward respectivelyin the air cylinder. The air hoses 256 are all supplied from an airmanifold 260 mounted between the horizontally extending beams 232 and234 and the air hoses 258 are actuated from another air manifold 262mounted between the horizontally extending beams in parallel spacedrelationship with the air manifold 260.

The outward stroke of the piston rods 252 drive the stitching rollersinto engagement with the rubber applied to the respective drums at thesecond and fourth stations and the inward stroke returns the stitchingrollers to their inactive positions shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7.

The sleeve 225 is slidable on shaft 14 and is driven therealong by aSaginaw screw 264 mounted in spaced relationship with the shaft 14 andthreadedly mounted in a Saginaw nut 266 that is bolted to the sleeve bybolts 268. The Saginaw screw is powered by a reversible DC motor (notshown) such that the sleeve is movable along the shaft in bothdirections. The amplitude of the movement of the sleeve is slightlygreater than the distance between the stitching rollers so that thestitchers cover a broad area of the drums. The sleeve is driven in afirst direction to power stitch and is driven backward to its startposition during the ninety degree indexing operation at the end of thestep.

In operation, the apparatus is controlled by a logic system includingpunched tape control for the configuration of rubber applied by theapplication assemblies. More specifically, in a typical sequence a tirecarcass is loaded on a collapsed drum 19 at first station 26 and I themounting assembly 18 is actuated to expand the drum to securely mountthe drum thereon. At a predetermined time, the operation of motor 25 isinitiated and the Ferguson drive 33 indexes the drum 19 to the secondstation 28. The rubber application assembly 34 mounted at the secondstation is then actuated. This involves the actuation of air cylinders94 and 150, which drives the application roller 68 and the stitchingrollers 72 into position adjacent the drum. A strip of rubber is leftextending from the extruder to the application roller at the end of eachrubber application cycle, so that when the cylinder 94 is actuated atthe start of the next cycle the end of the rubber strip will be driveninto engagement with the tire carcass on the drum by the applicationroller.

The actuation of air cylinder 94 also actuates the sequence switch 120to start the extruder feed and actuate motor 22 to spin the drum. Therotary movement of the tire carcass on the drum picks the rubber stripfrom the application roller. After a predetermined time delay to allowthe ribbon to be properly attached to the tire carcass, the air cylinder94 is de-activated and the application roller swings back to a positionspaced from the drum, where it serves to guide the rubber strip thereto.

The rubber application assembly carriage 42 is then indexed down theframe 44 by motor 66 in accordance with a pattern predetermined by thepunched tape whereupon a series of overlapping layers is wrapped aboutthe drum in a predetermined pattern.

After the rubber application assembly has applied the first length ofrubber to the tire carcass on the drum, the punched tape controlactuates the brake 126, breaking the strip at the application roller,halts the extruder feed, de-activates the motor 22, and retracts thestitching rollers 72. This leaves the strip extending from the extruderto the application roller in preparation for the next rubber applicationcycle. The application roller is then driven down the drum axis to thepredetermined point where the application of the second length of rubberis to be initiated and the sequence described hereinabove is repeated.

At the end of the second rubber application sequence, when the stitcherunit 74 is driven back by air cylinder 150, the making of the light beamprovided by photocell 218 prepares the control circuit for the powerstitching sequence and actuates motor 66 to drive the applicationassembly back down frame 44 to its start position.

The initiation of the power stitching sequence involves the supplying ofair through the air manifold 260 and the air hoses 256 to drive thepiston rods 252 outwardly. This causes the stitching rollers 242 toengage the rubber just applied to the rotation drum. At the same time,the drum is spun at a higher angular velocity. The motor driving theSaginaw screw 264 is then actuated and the sleeve 225 is driven own theshaft 14 a distance slightly greater than the distance between thestitching rollers. The combination of the pressure, of the stitchingrollers 242, high speed drum rotation and lateral movement of thestitching rollers provides a strong force pressing the rubber stripstogether and against the tire carcass to remove air from the interfacesbetween the strips and between the strips and the drum.

At the end of the power stitching sequence, the stitching rollers aredriven back to their inactive position by supplying air through manifold262 and air hoses 258 to the air cylinders 246. The Saginaw screw thendrives the sleeve 225 back to its start position and the motor 25 isthen pulsed again by the punched tape control and the drum is driven tothe third station 30 whereat it is allowed to dwell to permit the rubberthereon to cool.

At the end of the dwell period the motor 25 is pulsed to drive the drumto the fourth station 32 whereat the rubber application assembly 36 isactuated by the punched tape control. The rubber application assembly 36operates in a mode identical to the rubber application assembly 32.However, a different type of rubber is applied to the tire carcass inthe drum at the fourth station and the punched tape program directs therubber to the middle portion of the drum not covered at the secondstation. At the termination of the rubber application sequence the powerstitching sequence is again initiated to firmly adhere the rubber to thetire carcass.

At the conclusion of the power stitching sequence the motor 25 is againpulsed and the drum is rotated back to the first station where the drumis collapsed by actuation of the mounting assembly 18 enabling thecarcass to be removed therefrom and a new carcass placed thereon,preparatory to a new 360 cycle.

Of course, the plate 16 mounts four drums 19 so that four drums arebeing operated upon at any given moment and while one drum is at thesecond station having rubber applied to the tire carcass thereon, a drumat the fourth station for the application of the remainder of the rubberthereon and the power stitching assembly is provided with two stitchingassembly is provided with two stitching heads such that the rubber onthe tire carcasses at the second and fourth stations are power stitchedat the same time.

Having now fully set forth both structure and operation of preferredembodiments of the concept underlying the present invention, it may bethat various other embodiments as well as certain variations andmodifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will occurto those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlyingconcept. All such embodiments, variations, and modifications asincorporate the spirit of the invention and depend upon its underlyingconcept are consequently to be considered as within the scope of theclaims appended herebelow, unless the claims by their language expresslystate otherwise.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for applying strip rubber from an extruder to a basehaving a circular cross section, a rubber application assembly whichcomprises:

a carriage mounted for movement parallel to the axis of the base,

an application roller mounted for free rotation on said carriage,

means for moving the application roller towards and away from saidcircular base, and

means for braking the rotation of the application roller.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a support mounted on said carriage,

a plurality of stitching rollers independently mounted to said support,and

means for moving said stitching roller support toward and away from thecircular base.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprismg:

means responsive to the movement of the application roller to thecircular base for actuating base rotation and extruder feed.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, further comprismg:

means responsive to the movement of the application roller to thecircular base for actuating base rotation and extruder feed.

5. A method of applying strip rubber from an extruder to a base having acircular cross section, comprising the steps of:

directing the rubber strip to an application roller, driving theapplication roller and rubber strip thereon into engagement with thebase, actuating rotation of the base in response to the driving of theapplication roller thereto to pick the strip from the application rollerand transferring it to the rotating base, and severing the strip after apredetermined amount of rubber has been applied to the rotating base. 6.A method according to claim 5, further including the step of:

retracting the application roller from the base after the rubber striphas been transferred thereto, the application roller now guiding therubber strip to the base, and moving the application roller parallel tothe axis of the base to cover a predetermined portion thereof. 7. Amethod according to claim 5, wherein the step of severing the stripcomprises braking the rotation of the application roller. 8. Inapparatus for applying strip rubber from an extruder to a base having acircular cross-section, a rubber application assembly which comprises:

a carriage mounted for movement parallel to the axis of the base, anapplication roller mounted for free rotation on said carriage, means formoving the application roller towards and away from said circular base,means for extruding a strip of rubber,

means for rotating the base, and means responsive to the movement of theapplication roller to the base for actuating base rotation and extruderfeed.

1. In apparatus for applying strip rubber from an extruder to a basehaving a circular cross section, a rubber application assembly whichcomprises: a carriage mounted for movement parallel to the axis of thebase, an application roller mounted for free rotation on said carriage,means for moving the application roller towards and away From saidcircular base, and means for braking the rotation of the applicationroller.
 1. In apparatus for applying strip rubber from an extruder to abase having a circular cross section, a rubber application assemblywhich comprises: a carriage mounted for movement parallel to the axis ofthe base, an application roller mounted for free rotation on saidcarriage, means for moving the application roller towards and away Fromsaid circular base, and means for braking the rotation of theapplication roller.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising: a support mounted on said carriage, a plurality of stitchingrollers independently mounted to said support, and means for moving saidstitching roller support toward and away from the circular base. 3.Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means responsive tothe movement of the application roller to the circular base foractuating base rotation and extruder feed.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 2, further comprising: means responsive to the movement of theapplication roller to the circular base for actuating base rotation andextruder feed.
 5. A method of applying strip rubber from an extruder toa base having a circular cross section, comprising the steps of:directing the rubber strip to an application roller, driving theapplication roller and rubber strip thereon into engagement with thebase, actuating rotation of the base in response to the driving of theapplication roller thereto to pick the strip from the application rollerand transferring it to the rotating base, and severing the strip after apredetermined amount of rubber has been applied to the rotating base. 6.A method according to claim 5, further including the step of: retractingthe application roller from the base after the rubber strip has beentransferred thereto, the application roller now guiding the rubber stripto the base, and moving the application roller parallel to the axis ofthe base to cover a predetermined portion thereof.
 7. A method accordingto claim 5, wherein the step of severing the strip comprises braking therotation of the application roller.